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| Greece Buying Guide Newsletter |
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| Hello there… So that's where summer went...I read that Greece will brace itself for more hot weather this weekend with the temperature expected to be around 43 degrees Celsius (109F) in what is shaping up to be the hottest July in decades…!! Anyway, I have just been reading of the ongoing battle by the Greeks to have the Elgin Marbles returned to Athens. Do you know about them? These marbles were taken off the Parthenon on the Acropolis by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century and are in the British Museum in a spectacular display. The Greeks say that permission for their removal was never given by Greeks but by their Turkish conquerors - the British Museum maintains that, if it wasn't for them, they would have been destroyed… The Greeks are building a new museum in which they want to unite their own Parthenon sculptures with those held in London and around the world at the foot of the Acropolis - within sight of the Parthenon temple itself. The late Greek Culture Minister, Melina Mercouri, star of the film ‘Never on Sunday’, said at the at the Oxford Union, in 1986:
And so the debate continues. It does of course open up the floodgates... what of all the contents of all the Museums around the world... would they then be expected to return all their foreign treasures – where would it end? It’s a difficult one, isn’t it? However, do go and visit them while they ARE still there – it’s well worth the trip, especially as Mr Ken Livingstone has ensured that you can see them free of charge! On to more cheerful matters...the rest of the newsletter. I hope you enjoy it! Please remember
that I am only an email away. I may not know all the answers, but I
will always try my best to either find out for you or put you in touch
with an expert in their field that WILL know….so don’t hesitate
to email me at: All best wishes for a happy summer, some of it hopefully spent in sunny Greece!
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What about Kefalonia… I think that I confessed in an earlier email to you that I had not visited Kefalonia previous to my visit early this year…and that I had not really understood what people saw in it. No white Cycladic houses, very few old buildings due to the devastating earthquake in 1953… Well, just let’s say that I have had to revise my opinion and am now a convert. And you know what they say about the newly converted don’t you?!! I could not believe the beauty of the place, the green-ness, the tranquility, how unspoiled it was, how….GREEK…!! Because it was out of season I took a flight to Athens and then a bus down to Patras. A delightful short ferry crossing and there I was. I have to say that I know accessibility is important, but I do love arriving on a Greek island by ferry – call me a romantic but it seems right somehow! I was lucky enough to be met and shown around by a delightful young man (in itself a treat!) whose parents own one of the oldest hotels in Sami. Time was tight so we mainly concentrated on the area around Sami. I only travelled as far north as Assos - a most lovely town with white and pastel houses and a Venetian Fortress. Nearby is the stunning beach of Myrtos - again, they have not made the mistake of ruining the beach with overdevelopment and the road there is an experience in itself! We drove along the coast to the lovely little fishing village of Agia Efimia, set amphitheatrically around a bay 10 kms north of Sami. From the coast one can see Ithaca and Lefkas shimmering across the water, and pebbly beaches beckon far below. A little inland we drove to Karavomilos, where I saw a really lovely house for sale…sigh!! We had the most delightful Greek dinner ever in a local taverna in Poulata. Greece was playing Turkey in an important soccer match: thank heavens we left before the match finished as I later learnt that Turkey had won! We were joined for supper by an expat Brit who had bought his home through the young man I was with – the second extremely happy client that I met. It was quite amusing – we had agreed to meet at an appointed time and, as it got later, I said to my companion: ”He’s forgotten to change his watch from winter to summer time…” And sure enough – he had. A quick phone call and he rushed in to join us, full of apologies - somehow time is not nearly as important here!
You know what I love about the island? There is the little village that they erected for the film, with an inconspicuous signpost…there are almost no traces otherwise. In fact, there was a billboard with photos of the film set that they built for the film but no label: unless my companion had told me, I wouldn’t have known what it was all about…I couldn’t help but think of some of the other touristy towns that I had seen on other islands that have sold their soul to the almighty tourist and his money – I really respect this attitude. My companion
had a treat in store for me: he had specially arranged with the
mayor of the town to open the spectacular Melissani Cave –
it had been closed for winter. Costas, and his boat, awaited us
and we floated as in a dream over the bluer than blue sea water
lake. The lake is very deep in parts and evidently there is a fortune
in cameras and sunglasses at the bottom of the lake, dropped by
careless and excited tourists! I must say that I felt really privileged
to be able to experience this in absolute peace and quiet –
evidently it is packed in season. On my departure, Costas handed
me a lovely calendar in one of those wonderfully spontaneous Greek
gestures that catch at the heart… If
you are interested in buying in Greece to let, please fill in my
property form at |
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| A Top Tip: Drive Carefully in Greece! Please note the following, which I am providing you with via my dear property professional in southern Crete, see 2nd June 2007 www.ekathimerini.com
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Feedback from a Greece Buying Guide Reader
mailto:Carol@OverseasGuidesCompany.com
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Learn Greek the Rapid Way...by my co-worker, Olga:My co-worker, Olga, will be traveling to Cyprus soon. Although it's not a Greek island, the Cypriots do speak Greek. Olga's never been to Cyprus - or any Mediterranean country, so she's very excited. Last month when she discovered that she was going to Cyprus she decided to learn some Greek for the visit. Olga offered to write a review on the Greek language set that she used, so here it is:
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Top Forum Post: How to insure for Earthquakes and FiresQ: Can you insure for FIRE and EARTHQUAKES. We have been told yes and no. A: You can insure for both fire and earthquakes.
For fire you will need to make sure that you always specify 'Fire from the Forest' otherwise you are only insured for fires started by electrical faults, garden rubbish fires and fires started by your own hearthside fire. If you are near olive trees, you will need to specify this and costs will rise as these trees are especially flammable. Greece is one of
the most seismically active countries in the world - you cannot get
earthquake cover unless the building is new and/or you can prove that
it has been built to conform to anti-seismic standards. You will need
a statement from an architect certifying that the property conforms
to earthquake building regulations in order to prove this. Check out the Greece Buying Guide forum at: www.GBG-Forum.com Take care and have a great week! Best wishes, Carol Carol Dunning |
